Ever Wonder About Those Community Centers? We Went & Had a Look!

Copy Editor's Note:

Have you ever walked past a building in Shanghai labeled "Community Center" and wondered, what exactly goes on in there? For many Americans (like myself), the concept of a community center isn't immediately familiar. Back home, they exist, but they're rarely as institutionalized or as central to daily life as they are in places like China, Europe, Japan, or South Korea, where community centers function as a standard arm of local government.

So what is a community center? In short, it's a neighborhood "living room" supported by the state – a space that offers education, culture, recreation, and services. In China, they're especially formalized and multifunctional, serving not only as cultural hubs but also as extensions of local governance.

They can even be surprisingly useful for expats – though that's a story for another day. For now, we visited one such center during its Mid-Autumn Festival cultural events, where expats were invited to join in. We sent one of our contributors to take a look and get a feel for what happens inside these neighborhood institutions. In addition to sending our contributor, we also invited two foreign families to take part in the cultural activities at the center. This was part of our ongoing CNS Families initiative, which helps bridge communities by connecting families to different aspects of life in Shanghai. Through this project, we aim to foster cultural exchange and deepen connections between expats and local communities.

One thing that Chinese people do best is build a community. Collectivism is just built into the middle kingdom's culture, which only naturally extends to foreigners like us, who live here.

With something like the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节), many Shanghai residents are especially eager for that sense of togetherness and a simple joy of spending time with their neighbors. And there is a very heart-warming trend I am noticing in Shanghai; local Chinese people – both young and old – sincerely wish to include foreigners in their traditions and celebrations. This level of openness is not too common in many Asian countries, yet China makes a lot of effort to embrace all of its residents into its rich and storied culture.

I was invited to attend such a "gathering of neighbors" at the Yichuan Community Center in Putuo District. I always wondered how those district communities of those tall apartment buildings function. At the Yichuan community, all the people who live within 15 minutes from the center are a part of it. The center itself was very modern (i.e., it was just built recently), even a little space-shipy. Once I entered, I immediately noticed the main demographic of the place, grandparents and their grandchildren, unsurprisingly. There was everything for their convenience, a canteen, bathrooms, a big library and even a garden in the middle of it. The staff, mostly consisting of volunteers, were very friendly and helpful, many spoke English as well, which was a surprise.

Alright, let's dive into the main event. Yichuan Center wanted to bring its residents – mostly families with young kids – closer together. So, they put together a couple of events featuring traditional, centuries-old games for the kids to enjoy. On top of that, each participant (yep, me too) got a hand-made souvenir. I received this adorable pair of cup coasters, designed and crafted by the Miao (苗族), an ethnic minority group from Guizhou. They also handed out a bunch of postcards to stamp, courtesy of CNS.

The group activities kicked off with some traditional poetry readings. But hands down, the kids' favorite was carrot fishing. The game was basically this: "Be the Jade Rabbit from the Moon Palace and try to grab the hanging carrot – without touching it directly!" There were also lantern painting and lantern rolling, though the rolling part mostly ended in everyone hugging each other. It was so wholesome to see the little Chinese kids having fun with the kids from other countries.

When chatting with the organizers, they mentioned how they tried to make the event as international as possible. Two families were invited – Debbie and her family, who are from South Africa and have been living in Shanghai for six years, and Shoko with her family, who've been in Shanghai for two years.

Honestly, after talking to a bunch of families who've moved to Shanghai, these two seemed to have had the most positive experiences. It's clear that the local community really values these kinds of group activities, the safety for the kids, and the high-end international schools.

The event wrapped up with the iconic mooncake making. I'll admit, I couldn't resist jumping in myself – how could I, with flavors like mango, strawberry, and matcha? It turns out, making mooncakes is a super simple four-step process: roll, wrap, press and eat.